Saudi Arabia Sees Huge Investment Opportunities in Ethiopia, Says Ambassador Al-Zahrani

Addis Ababa, October 11, 2026 (ENA) —Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Abdullah bin Hassan Al-Zahrani, has affirmed that Ethiopian-Saudi relations are continuously advancing across political, economic, investment, and tourism sectors, highlighting that the Kingdom ranked first globally in imports from Ethiopia in 2025.

In an exclusive interview with EN), he explained that the commitment of the countries’ leaderships to developing bilateral relations, coupled with increased reciprocal visits by officials, has helped advance cooperation and opened new horizons for partnership.

The Ambassador noted that recent months have witnessed increased momentum in reciprocal visits between Riyadh and Addis Ababa, alongside efforts to conclude economic and investment agreements that would deliver mutual benefits to both countries and their peoples.

According to him, the economy, education, health, and tourism are promising areas of cooperation.

As part of efforts to boost trade and investment, Ambassador Al-Zahrani underscored the important role played by the two countries’ embassies in promoting commercial partnerships.

He also highlighted the establishment of the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council, which brings together private-sector representatives, businesspeople, and stakeholders interested in investment opportunities in both countries.

The council had held several meetings in recent months, expressing hope that another meeting would be convened soon to continue exploring investment opportunities and strengthening cooperation between the Saudi and Ethiopian business communities.

Regarding bilateral trade, the Ambassador stated that Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in imports from Ethiopia in 2025, with the value of its imports from Ethiopia reaching approximately two billion Saudi riyals.

He explained that Ethiopian coffee accounted for around 80 percent of Ethiopia’s total exports to Saudi Arabia, while Saudi exports to Ethiopia amounted to approximately 184 million Saudi riyals.

 

Both sides aspire to increase bilateral trade and capitalize on available potential to achieve higher levels of economic cooperation, Ambassador Al-Zahrani said, adding that “we aspire to see figures exceeding nine zeros; and I believe the potential is there.”

Speaking about investment opportunities, he described Ethiopia as a destination rich in economic potential and diverse natural resources.

“Ethiopia is an undiscovered treasure, and opportunities are ripe for all businesspeople to come and invest in the country,” he said.

He pointed to mining, agriculture, and tourism as promising investment sectors, alongside Ethiopia’s water resources, emphasizing that the diversity of these resources offers opportunities to develop new economic and development projects.

Ambassador Al-Zahrani added that Saudi Arabia possesses the financial resources and technical expertise needed to help capitalize on these opportunities, thereby advancing shared interests and opening broader avenues for cooperation between the public and private sectors.

He affirmed that Ethiopia has the potential to become a major destination for Saudi investment in Africa and the wider region, given its diverse resources and extensive opportunities across productive and service sectors.

The Ambassador concluded by stressing the importance of maintaining coordination between the two sides and translating available investment opportunities into tangible projects, contributing to increased bilateral trade, stronger economic partnership, and deeper Saudi-Ethiopian relations in the coming years.